Sonic the Hedgehog To See New "Sonic Boom" Animated TV Series In 2014

Sonic the Hedgehog is returning to television in fall 2014 with his own CG animated TV series, Sega have announced. Titled Sonic Boom, the series will be aimed at children 6-11 and will debut first on Cartoon Network in the U.S. and on CANAL J and GULLI in France. A global release will follow later.

Sonic Boom is described as a “character-driven comedy” that features Sonic and Tails, and their battles with Dr. Eggman. Knuckles and Amy Rose are confirmed to be in the show as well, alongside other characters, both old and new.

Takashi Iizuka, the head of Sonic Team at Sega, is overseeing the series to ensure that it stays true to the Sonic characters and universe.

“Sonic is the star of the Sega universe and the stage is now set for him to shine like never before,” Hiroyuki Miyazaki, SEGA’s Chief Content Officer for Sonic.

“By teaming up with world-class partners in television animation like Cartoon Network, Genao Productions and GULLI, we’re ensuring that the Sonic legacy will be introduced to a new generation of children across the globe.”

Someone’s been working out. And Sonic’s stopped bothering with keeping his quills smooth.

To be honest, I am curious as to how this’ll be. If it’s 3D animated, I hope it’s similar to the level of the CG videos we’d see in Unleashed/Colors/Lost World. I still think Sega has an untapped market when it comes to how good their CG is…

British_Otaku

The guys they get to work on their CG videos and soundtracks have been great for the last generation.

Man Night of the Werehog is EXACTLY what I’m talking about. Their CG (and yes their soundtracks but their soundtracks are always consistently enjoyable) work has been great and I really hope they take advantage of it for this. Even if the show is bad at least it’ll /look/ good as a result.

British_Otaku

I get the feeling that the animation will be done externally by those companies mentioned up there and that the writing and voice work may be completely different… >_> Video game adaptations into other media always get my mind thinking about the worst.

http://linkapics.tumblr.com/ Linka

Wow Disqus is screwing up.

To reiterate what I typed: I doubt they’ll change the voice work since they went out of their way in the first place to even have the videogame voices match Sonic X voices in America (contrary to belief, this was something that was in the works before Eggman’s old VA, Deem Bristow, passed away), so they obviously realize the importance of audio consistency between media.

Given how our only other examples are the older cartoons that came before voices had been established, and given how they just signed on new voices on contract with Colors, I think they might actually try to make sure those actors do their work on this. Sega’s pushing the new show, too, and with the head of Sonic Team overseeing it, I would at least expect that.

British_Otaku

Very good points there, my other problem if we do have a consistent cast as we did between Sonic X and a good number of Sonic games is that the characterisation, story and design will be so off, that I won’t want to see Mike Pollock and company’s talents wasted on it.

http://linkapics.tumblr.com/ Linka

Well, yeah, but on that point, it’s also more paid work for them. I think I’d rather hope they get the work than to be ignored for outsourced voices.

I mean, yeah, there’s a chance that things’ll be off in terms of design and characterization, but we don’t know what exactly anything will entail. The largest things we do know is that Knuckles got big and they might all be wearing jackets.

Also, really, I don’t think anything can ruin a good Mike Pollock Eggman. Man’s been the one consistent good thing from Sonic X, and given the circumstances, has been a very worthy replacement. (And many people are happy they kept him on after the recent voice changes.)

As a note, it is now confirmed that the game VAs will be involved in it!

British_Otaku

Yep, I’m 99% sure that I’m going to be disappointed in this even if my expectations are low (not expecting in house SEGA CG work, or a consistent characterisation and look)… I guess as you said, it’s better to keep these guys in work even if it is in terrible TV shows… >_>

I mean a lot of these guys started off in Sonic Free Riders and the previous cast got the next gen spotlight in Sonic 06. There are already bad adaptations with the cool VAs in them.

http://linkapics.tumblr.com/ Linka

Well the previous cast actually started out in Shadow the Hedgehog, but I guess the point of it being terrible starts is evident. XD

But yeah, though you never know with any of this, right? Even if your expectations are low, keep your judgment to actual footage. Which we probably won’t see for a while yet.

xAKUM3TSUx

Yep, spot on. That CG alone has made me facepalm: “Why the hell haven’t they made their own Sonic the Hedgehog movie?” Another good point u mentioned- Sega’s soundtracks have always been top notch.

http://linkapics.tumblr.com/ Linka

It’s what I always wonder. Maybe Night of the Werehog actually set off the creator of this? You never know…

neocatzon

Now, I really want to try Sonic Unleashed.

Sergio Briceño

If they are the main 4 characters’s silhouettes, then I’m disliking beefed-up Knucles already. They should’ve sticked with the original designs (or the way they evolved through the years). But having Sonic wear a jacket is a nice touch, tbh.

Virevolte

Knuckles may be wearing a coat, no ? The shadow is somewhat rounded around the shoulders.

http://www.youtube.com/user/xxHiryuuxx Tohsaka

Chaos emeralds are fucking steroids, maaan…

SupaPhly

I think you mean, Emeroids

http://www.youtube.com/user/xxHiryuuxx Tohsaka

That was so painful.

Xaltmas

I will watch this. Then Shadow will show up. Then I won’t watch it anymore.

British_Otaku

What’s your beef with Shadow? I came into the series with Heroes and just accepted him as some sorta Vegeta like parallel with Sonic. He can’t ruin a show that much can he?

http://linkapics.tumblr.com/ Linka

But… but he came into the series in Sonic Adventure 2…

Edit: Oh wait, YOU came into the series with Heroes. My bad.

… though if you haven’t played SA2 yet, I recommend you do.

British_Otaku

I played part of Sonic Adventure 2 Battle (the multiplayer is pretty good) and part of the original Sonic Adventure (probably going to get the Director’s Cut eventually). I wouldn’t say I hate them, but I can’t grow to like Tails in a mech or Knuckles going around digging without a decent map.

I should really finish them.

http://linkapics.tumblr.com/ Linka

Knuckles parts are pretty tedious (though Rouge takes the cake with the Security Hall level), but I actually came to sorta enjoy the Tails/Eggman levels. But it might be because SA2 was the first Sonic game I could actually beat, since my family was a Nintendo family and the only Sonic stuff I owned was on the computer. I owned Sonic 3 and Knuckles on an old Gateway! Haha!

Xaltmas

Shadow is a terrible character. Just an uber-powered mess of bullshit and angst. The series didn’t need him then and it doesn’t need him now.

The only people who find him appealing are 10 year olds who think that guns, swearing and angst are cool and the furries who inhabit DeviantArt and Fanfiction.com.

British_Otaku

Fair enough, but you know he is going to be in this given that he has gotten a lot of spotlight given only being the series for half it’s lifespan. I’m honestly surprised that the Sonic Advance games never let us play as him, I’m alright with the Sonic cast as long as they are fun.

Is “damn” a swear? And he hasn’t used guns in a while, even if he is going to be that brooding guy forever in most people’s minds.

http://linkapics.tumblr.com/ Linka

“Damn” is a VERY mild swear, and it manages to work its’ way into some text and children’s films without much issue, depending on the context that it’s used it (since there’s a difference between a character saying “damn” as a curse, and also referencing someone being “damned”), but you wouldn’t usually see it in, say, outright E-rated games. Shadow the Hedgehog was their first foray into the E10 rating, and they honestly overdid it.

I personally like Shadow in his SA2 iteration (and funnily I think his 06 iteration was the most dignified portion of that whole game, driving segments aside), but his Shadow the Hedgehog iteration was pretty much terrible and I’m pretty sure most actual fans of the series try to ignore that it exists, partially due to it’s portrayal, and also due to the fact that it’s just a terrible game.

ShinobiBrown

Shadow is pointless because Knuckles and Metal Sonic serve as better rival characters. The classic speed vs power and organic vs mechanical dynamic is more appealing. It also doesn’t help that Sega basically rendered Shadow’s character development in SA2 as completely irrelevant. So he went from developing into a likable character, back into a angst, loathing, boring individual. Shadow really isn’t needed and I wish they would drop him but young fans like him so much because of his angst and loathing (ie “edgy”) when he’s really just boring. Silver was more of a worthwhile addition. Too bad the game he debuted in was god awful.

hickorypan

They seem to be wearing clothes, either that or their proportions are all messed up. I’m all for original ideas, but I’d rather have a TV show with the regular Sonic designs.

Rashaan Butler

I wouldn’t really mind Sonic wearing a jacket or vest, as long as that is the ONLY thing he’s wearing and that underneath it he says true to his current design. I also agree that Knuckles looks way too buff here. I know he’s supposed to be the strongman of this troupe, but seriously. Of course there is the chance that like Sonic, ol’ Knucklehead’s also wearing some kind of coat or vest.

AuraGuyChris

So Knuckles’ on steroids now?
Uh-oh. I sense a major official character redesigns for everyone like they did with Crash Bandicoot.

Jesse

I want to see how this goes. ^^

Foxy

“A character-driven comedy” > Why do I have a feeling it’s gonna be like that Donkey Kong CG cartoon loool (no honestly I love that cartoon since childhood)…

Where have you been? Most games over the last generation but Sonic 4 Episode 1 and Sonic 06 (both bad) have been divisive but some games have been good (my picks are Secret Rings, Black Knight and Colours) and we had a lot of reasons to like Sonic in general.

Spyro or Crash are the mascots in danger. >_>
Or Croc, Bubsy, James Pond and Ty the Tasmanian Tiger.

Solomon_Kano

Crash and Spyro are beyond danger at this point, sadly.

British_Otaku

I guess you’re right. I have no idea where Crash is and Spyro isn’t even in the spotlight of a series about selling toys where he had a bad redesign…. >_>

Rayman came back from the grave when he was overshadowed by the Raving Rabbids for nearly a generation, so I hope one of these guys (well I don’t care much for Pond or Bubsy) make a comeback.

Solomon_Kano

Yea, Rayman’s return was a pleasant surprise. He got the Spyro treatment (sans toys) even before Spyro, so it’d be nice if Spyro made a similar comeback. Alas, he and Crash are stuck with Activision.

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger deserved to see a nice return as well. Saw this the other day and was not a fan:

Yep, being tied to Activision, we will be very lucky to see Spyro or Crash leading a game again. :/

I haven’t had the chance to give the new Ty a go, but I don’t know whether it is worth one, it went from a set of sprawling 3D platformers to a 2D platformer (Rayman at least had routes in being a beautiful whimsy 2D platformer – even if I would like another 3D one someday).

At the very least, Krome Studios were able to take their license with them to Microsoft instead of being stuck to EA or Activision (the 3rd game). Maybe we will see a full fledged sequel or a kickstarter in the coming years.

Solomon_Kano

Yea, the new one doesn’t look good at all to me. :(

It’ll be some time before we could see a game in the vein of the originals, if ever, given their current size. Real shame.

Kaihedgie

Yes.

Seriously, is Siliconera full of people just wanting a little attention by posting on stuff they obviously don’t like?

Freud_Hater

Heeey now, it’s not that I don’t like Sonic… It’s that I didn’t think he had the kind of popularity that warrants a TV series… XD

British_Otaku

He has had four TV series and one set of OVAs…
I’m sort of surprised you didn’t notice them or thought that a mascot based game series with platforming installments on a near yearly basis which sell millions, racing games which sell a million, appearances in Smash Bros, conventions dedicated to the series like Summer of Sonic and 20 years of history couldn’t get a show…

Miles!Miles!Miles!Miles!
While i sadly won’t get to see the game “Lost World”, this is exciting! :3

icantstandthisindecision

Knuckles why are you on steroids.

FitzpatrickPhillips

Is that knuckles? Dude looks swole as fuck.

Never

CG animated TV series
CG
No. No. NO. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Watch them turn all the characters into high school stereotypes on top of it all.
It’s going to be Pac-man all over again.

British_Otaku

We got silly characterisation in the hand drawn animated series like Sonic X or Sonic Underground. I do expect them to aim for bonus points and screw everything up though.

Never

What exactly are they trying to pull anyway? The series has headed WAY into the cartoony field and suddenly they’re going to air a hyper realistic TV show that polarizes it completely? If that picture is anything to go by.
I have a feeling it had something to do with that god awful Sonic fan film.

http://linkapics.tumblr.com/ Linka

Hey, you never know.

With CG, it might instead look like the cutscenes from the recent games, not hyper-realistic.

British_Otaku

There isn’t a chance that a Sonic fan film, awful or not, will be considered in the development of an official TV adaptation. It still could be bad, but yeah.

Kaihedgie

You didn’t even watch the show

Pac-Man isn’t even characterized as such

And really, you’re whining about another character who was basically built on the premise of being a cool character. The Poochie of video games, the original foil to Mario.

Never

I did, but even if I didn’t I wouldn’t need to to know his wanderings into CG are predictably pathetic.

Pac-man himself is the self-insertion typical shounen-alike protag “I’m the only one with powers!” and dead parents, his friends and jock “rival” are all 90s highschool stereotypes fitting it to a T. The show is beyond lackluster and considering this is airing in the west first and the product of Sega of America I highly doubt it will be very different, especially with massive buff Knuckles-with-fingers being on their reveal poster.

And I’ll whine about whomever I feel like, and you can cry about someone else not liking something wah :’( lets just ignore the blatant over simplification and attempted undermining, those are too minor of details to bother with.
Still, kids shows tend to do a good job of being mediocre or surprisingly good… in Japan. And not when they’re CG.
I’ll be expecting nothing and hope I don’t come out wanting to swallow several handfuls of pills.

Kaihedgie

Yes, no powers, even though both of his allies actually do some fighting. Sometimes, it’s not even Pac who saves the day

And moving on to your Sonic comment…wow, you really sound no different from those people who whine about Sonic’s eyes being green.

Seriously, you’re whining about stuff you’re not even half-familiar with. But go on, continue being obnoxious in light people actually wanting to enjoy stuff. You’re whining about Sonic Boom being a repeat of Pac-Man, despite the fact that this is exactly the kind of character Sonic was envisioned as in the first place.

SlickRoach

It kind of seems like they’re just trying to push the so called “resurrection” of Sonic so much they’re kind of pushing it down peoples’ throats. Feels like something Sonic related is announced every other month but I can’t judge the show until I at least see it.

British_Otaku

You are missing the point with the resurrection, it’s already happened twice with Sonic Adventure and any game after Sonic 06.

We would get Megaman announcements just as often or more if Capcom did something with him. It’s a sign of success to here about cameos in a movie, a Smash Bros appearance, a TV series, a racing game series and a new platformer on a near yearly basis. That’s more or less what Mario has done for decades without a break.

http://thespellcraftcolumn.wordpress.com Rudolph Consuegra

Tails is the only one that looks like Tails. I’m afraid Sonic may be Sonic.EXE, Knuckles looks part cyborg, and Amy’s too provocatively dressed. WHATDIDTHEYDO?!?!?!

Nice Boat Quatro

It could be worse. Imagine if they put Shadow in the story and gave him guns—–Oh wait….

Linhua

… I know Knuckles is taller than Sonic… but something seems oddly incorrect about the guy… I dunno… maybe he’s a little TOO buff…?

… and also, WOW. He has fingers.

… THAT is gonna take some getting used to.

… everyone else seems about normal though.

… and judging from what’s going on with his left shoulder… I think Sonic is actually wearing some clothes for once… o_o;; …

Shady Shariest

In the case of Amy they said “We give up” to the Rule 34 community it seems-_-’

Sonic seems to be using a t-shirt with popped collar, Knuckles’ on roids and Amy looks like a college whore with an attitude (ie: a tiresome bitch).

http://youtube.com/RyeANDRinGaming B-Dazzle

They made Knucke’s silhouette look just like Werehog’s lol

http://youtube.com/RyeANDRinGaming B-Dazzle

They made Knucke’s silhouette look just like Werehog’s lol

$61526767

Yup. Gonna be singing the sonic boom song if they decide to put it there. I look forward to see this show. *Gotta go fast!!*

Charmchar

I would have preferred it to be 2D Animation since you can get a better creative options than with CG Animation. I really hope it looks good but with it being targeted at 6 – 11 kids the CG probably won’t look the best (╥_╥).

ShawnOtakuSomething

sonic has pants! and knuckles is more blacker then ever

Alexander Marquis Starkey

I hope it retains the current voice actors. Roger Craig Smith and Travis Willingham fit right into the roles of Sonic and Knuckles.

Spirit Macardi

As long as they keep Roger Craig Smith, Kate Higgins, and the rest of the vocal talent I’m cool with this.

Jesse

I don’t really see a problem some have with Amy’s silhouette; the only difference I can tell from her current design is the shape of her skirt.

Edit: looking at Amy’s shadow again, I noticed that maybe she is wearing a different outfit this time, or her hands are blocking the skirt’s shadow.

Fidelis

Hype to the extreme.
Hype to the extreme.
Hype to the extre-
wait..is that Knuckles? What the fu-
whatever
Hype to the extreme

brian

I think that’s actually Vector, he looks taller than Knuckles and he looks like he has a snout, but he has a tail like Knuckles.

Christopher Nunes

Take a closer look at the hands… there’s those spike knuckles on them. It’s Knuckles… I’m all for another Sonic TV series, but I’m NOT liking the looks for them so far even if it’s just silhouettes of them at the moment!

Sonic looks like he woke up with bed hair!

DanteMasamune

Sweet….finally a reason to watch TV again.

I hope they’re voiced by their current VAs in the games and isn’t as retarded and lame as that PacMan show on Disney XD.

Christopher Nunes

I quite like Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures… don’t understand the hate for it. >_>;

Though I’m not looking forward to Amy’s current VA if it’s the same as Free Riders… why did they think that was a perfect match for Amy Rose I will never know.

AnimeRemix

It was just confirmed that the original VA’s are voicing the characters. Roger (Sonic) and Pollock (Eggman) both shared the news on their respective social media outlets.

Plus a character driven comedy sound perfect for something like Sonic (Sonic X was borderline too dramatic at times and I can understand the Shadow and Arc saga but damn Sonic’s relationship with Chris almost got too………yaoi I guess and Tails falling for a plant….was more humorous and ridiculous than sad and dramatic to me that is).

Sydney Losstarot

I just saw a animated gif where Sonic beats up Gintoki from Gintama. It was awesome. Izumi-chan was awesome. And my rhinoceros Beetle was awesome, too.

Göran Isacson

Huh. I’m actually kind of interested in this. Even SUPERSWOLE Knuckles looks like it could be interesting… I do wonder if they will base this on some particular game, or if it will be a completely new and original story though.

Jeffrey Thrash

I don’t care about the target demographic, I’ll definitely start watching this if it is any good!

.:Raphællius:.

I always worried that they would do this… :/

Vash bane

so basically its like teen titans go?

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